The Roots of the Mountains · Chapter
Folk-Might Seeth the Bride and Speaketh with Her explained
Folk-might visits the wounded Bride, who lies in a hall befouled by felons.
What happens
Folk-might visits the wounded Bride, who lies in a hall befouled by felons. Despite her grievous injury, she plights her troth to him with Iron-face as witness, using a holy ring. She asks after Gold-mane and sends him a message about his oath. Folk-might then joins the other chiefs for counsel, and the mood is hopeful despite the solemnity.
Themes in this chapter
Love and Sacrifice
Folk-might and the Bride plight their troth despite her life-threatening wound, showing love's endurance through sacrifice.
Honor and Oath-Keeping
The Bride reminds Gold-mane of his oath, and the troth-plight is witnessed by Iron-face with a holy ring, emphasizing the sacredness of vows.
Community and Kinship
The chiefs gather in counsel after the battle, and the Bride's message to Gold-mane underscores the bonds of kinship and shared purpose.
Characters to notice
- Folk-might
Visits the Bride, plights troth with her, then joins the war council.
- The Bride
Lying wounded, she plights troth to Folk-might and sends a message to Gold-mane.
- Iron-face
Serves as witness to the troth-plight and gives the holy ring.
- Face-of-god
Sits at the altar of the Crooked Sword; Folk-might reports the Bride's condition to him.
- Hall-ward
Meets Folk-might at the threshold and promises to speak with him later.
- Gold-mane
Mentioned by the Bride; she sends him a message about his oath.
Key passages
“Thou seest, chieftain and dear friend, that I may not stand by thy victorious side today. And now, though I were fain if thou wouldst never leave me, yet needs must thou go about thy work, since thou art become the Alderman of the Folk of Silverdale.”
She acknowledges she cannot join him in victory due to her wound, but urges him to fulfill his duties as the new Alderman.
The Bride accepts her incapacity while affirming Folk-might's new role.
“This is the gold ring of the God of the Face, and I bear it on mine arm betwixt the Folk and the God in all man-motes, and I bore it through the battle today; and it is as holy a ring as may be; and since ye are plighting troth, and I am the witness thereof, it were good that ye held this ring together and called the God to witness, who is akin to the God of the Earth, as we all be.”
Iron-face offers a sacred ring used in assemblies and battle to solemnize the troth-plight, invoking the gods as witnesses.
The ring symbolizes divine authority and communal unity in the oath.
“Wilt thou give him this message from me, that in no wise he forget the oath which he swore upon the finger-ring as it lay on the sundial of the Garden of the Face? And say, moreover, that I am sorry that we shall part, and have between us such breadth of wildwood and mountain-neck.”
She asks Folk-might to remind Gold-mane of his oath and expresses regret at their impending separation.
The Bride's concern for Gold-mane's oath shows the lasting importance of past promises.